


Love Never Wavers

by Ryuuto



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe, M/M, PWP
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-07 08:39:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7708351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryuuto/pseuds/Ryuuto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seven days. Welcome to SorMik Week 2016.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Water

**Author's Note:**

> Posting this a day early because I'm out of town and won't have internet on the second day, so! I'm putting both days up earlier than I intended. Also, rating is for the third day's fic and additional tags might be put in.
> 
> AU: Blind Mikleo

Mikleo wasn’t dealing well with Zaphgott Moor. Not only was it hot enough that he mostly stayed inside Sorey, but there was very little in the way of water in the area. He could sense the cacti, hellions, animals, humans, and an oasis some distance away, certainly. However, that didn’t mean he could sense the rest of the land. The few times Mikleo _had_ been outside to walk around, Sorey was the one who had to save him from running face first into a massive rock formation or cliffside. Sometimes the others would warn him of one incoming, but his best friend would be the one to steer him in the right direction away from it.

Eventually, the group decided to make camp at the oasis for the night. Their water supply wasn’t the biggest concern with Mikleo around, which was a fact that Sorey and Rose were eternally grateful for. It just didn’t do much when it came to being out in the hot sun all day. At least an oasis meant that there would likely be some trees to provide shade.

When they arrived, it was like Mikleo could see. He knew where everything was and didn’t need to rely on the others to help him navigate the landscape. It was strange how that served to relax him and that he’d been as tense as he was all that time. As he left Sorey’s body, he felt more confident and surefooted, which he suspected had been part of his best friend’s suggestion to break camp in that particular location. Mikleo left the group to check the water source, making sure that it was clean if the humans wanted to use it for whatever reason. Satisfied that it was safe enough, the water seraph rejoined them to tell the others before separating again to sit under a tree to cool off.

He sensed Sorey’s approach a few minutes later, and he shifted to make room for his friend to sit with him in the shade. Mikleo cooled the air around them somewhat as he manipulated the mana to a lower temperature. It was a temporary thing, unfortunately, but the sigh of relief he heard from Sorey made every second worthwhile.

“Man, you read about how hot places like Zaphgott Moor get, but you never really _know_ what that means until you get there, huh?” the human remarked, sounding slightly awed. Mikleo couldn’t help a small smile.

“Yeah. It was hard to imagine back in Elysia. Now that we’re here, we finally have context for the kinds of temperatures the books were talking about,” Mikleo said, absently wiping his face with his sleeve.

The pair sat there in comfortable silence for a few minutes, simply enjoying their company. Eventually, Sorey placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, and Mikleo could imagine that there was a look of concern on his friend’s face.

“Are you doing alright?”

For a moment, the water seraph was quiet. The last thing he wanted to do was cause the Shepherd worry, but, at the same time, this was too serious for him to downplay it.

“As long as I dwell in you, the heat won’t bother me,” he started. “The rest...well, there’s no moisture in the air, other than here in the oasis. It’s no real surprise that I’d have a hard time navigating the Moor.”

Mikleo sensed that his words only caused Sorey more distress and guilt. Sighing softly, he rested his hand lightly on top of Sorey’s. The seraph turned his head so that his friend could see his face in full, smiling a little.

“Don’t worry so much. It just means that I need to stick closer to you and Rose, and to focus on using seraphic artes in battle more than martial artes while we’re here.”

“...I suppose you’re right,” the Shepherd finally stated. That answer seemed to have helped more, given the tone of his voice.

Mikleo turned his head back to face ahead of him, but he didn’t let go of Sorey’s hand. The human moved his hand so that he could thread his fingers between the water seraph’s, moving them to rest on the ground between them. It wasn’t the first time they’d done that, though he’d noticed that it was getting a bit more frequent since they’d started the Shepherd’s journey. Mikleo almost spoke up, but he lost the thought when Rose shouted at him to make dinner since it was _his_ turn. The seraph chuckled as he took his hand back and stood up.

“Well, I’d better go feed the herd,” he said dryly. “Coming?”

“I think I’ll stay here for a little bit!” Sorey chirped cheerfully. “Haven’t really had a chance to cool down until now.”

The seraph merely nodded and walked over towards Rose before she yelled again. Goodness knew she could wake the dead if she tried hard enough. Or was hungry enough.


	2. Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AU: Persona

Normally, a Saturday morning would have Sorey yawning into a bowl of cereal as he sat in front of the couch, watching a documentary on some history topic like Cleopatra or the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Mikleo would’ve finished taking his shower, looking prim and proper as he made some final preparations before heading out to his part-time job. The brunet would’ve seen his best friend off, of course, and the young man would’ve told him what was in the fridge in case he had to work late that night.

That hadn’t been the case for two months, now. In fact, it was verging on three months.

Ever since Sorey had gotten his Persona, he’d been paying far more attention to the news in the mornings. Saturdays would have him awake and alert, watching for any clues that could crop up or more disappearances that had happened while he dug into his cereal. Mikleo’s routine would generally be the same, except that he’d always add that if anything came up to text him. Sometimes, when something _did_ come up that required Sorey, Lailah, and Alisha to head into the world of mirrors, his friend would always tell him to be careful and come back safely. Every time that happened, he couldn’t help feeling pained and guilty at the look of carefully controlled neutrality on Mikleo’s face.

Something was wrong, though. Ever since Sunday, Mikleo had gotten a lot quieter and more withdrawn. He hadn’t even taken lunch with Sorey at all this past week. It bothered him since clearly something was up, but Mikleo wasn’t telling him a single thing. He was hoping that perhaps he could catch his friend before he left for work.

He heard someone shuffle around behind him and Sorey immediately twisted around to look. Mikleo was in uniform, working as a waiter at a local restaurant, and the expression on his face made the brunet pause. He looked worn down and guilt ridden with his shoulders sagging like there was a great weight he’d been holding up for a long time, but had finally given up on carrying it to save himself from being crushed. His lavender eyes were usually sharp, ready for a quick, playful retort to anything said. Now, they were overcast and almost grey, like something had taken the spark and color from them. Even his pale aquamarine hair looked less neat, less cared for. Sorey had never seen him look so lost or forlorn before.

The brunet got off the couch, immediately heading over to check on his friend. The worry on his face was clear as day as he put a gentle hand on his shoulder. Mikleo jumped, looking up at him with surprise. Quick as a fox, his expression turned more neutral, which only made Sorey more worried about him.

“Hey,” he started, “Is...everything okay?”

Mikleo sighed and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” It was a boldfaced lie that Sorey easily saw through. He couldn’t help calling him out on it.

“Are you sure? You didn’t look fine a second ago.”

“I said I’m fine,” Mikleo replied, his voice sounding like it was on the verge of snapping. Sorey couldn’t help looking surprised and hurt as he took his hand off of his friend’s shoulder. The older teenager rubbed his face, suddenly looking tired and guilty.

“Seriously,” he said, his tone far more gentle than it had been previously, “I’m alright.”

For once, Sorey couldn’t believe what Mikleo was telling him. Nothing about this was ‘fine’ or ‘alright.’ It felt like, all of a sudden, the rock solid support that had been his best friend was crumbling under some pressure that Sorey couldn’t fathom. Something was weathering him down, and yet he couldn’t find out _what_ because his friend was too stubborn to tell him.

He had no choice, though. Sorey didn’t want Mikleo to be late for work, but he also didn’t want to let the subject drop.

“Okay,” the brunet finally replied, sounding dejected even to his own ears. “I won’t press, but...please, will you talk to me when you get home?”

Mikleo hesitated, and it felt like his heart was breaking.

“...Alright,” he relented. “I’m gonna head out, now. I’ll see you later, Sorey.”

That was it. Mikleo picked up his bag and keys, and then he simply left their apartment. Sorey went to sit back down on the couch, watching the news without really paying attention to it. His thoughts went around in circles on their conversation. Had he done something wrong that caused the sudden change in Mikleo’s behavior? Had something happened at school? Or work?

Or perhaps it was even simpler than that. Perhaps it was because of the Persona business. He remembered seeing more than a few times a lurking frustration in Mikleo’s body language. The way he’d clench his fists, the resignation whenever Sorey said that he’d have to go out with Lailah and Alisha. The expression on Mikleo’s face when he came home that was full of relief. The way he sometimes found his friend looking as though he was dreading the worst. That last one always made Sorey feel guilty. If he and the girls ran into trouble, Mikleo would never know until morning. By that time, the three of them would never come back, becoming three more faces in a sea of people who’d disappeared into the mirror world.

Maybe it was no wonder that Mikleo had finally had enough. That utter helplessness wasn’t something his friend would ever take lying down or become accustomed to. He’d always expressed a desire to help, even if he didn’t _have_ a Persona, but Sorey continuously refused. He just couldn’t let Mikleo risk his life like that.

Yet…it was ripping his best friend apart every time he left for that world.

The sound of Mikleo’s voice suddenly brought Sorey out of his thoughts. He stared at the newsfeed, bewildered, as he watched some interviewer trying to talk to the young man. Mikleo looked annoyed, though he remained polite.

“I have no comment,” he said icily. Sorey had never heard such a tone from him before.

“Do you have any idea who might have killed your mother? Do you suspect your uncle at all?”

Mikleo’s fists clenched.

“I have _no comment_. If you’ll excuse me.”

He turned and walked away from her while Sorey was reeling from that information. The footage cut back to the anchorman and anchorwoman.

“This is, of course, the interview that took place yesterday morning. Mr. le Fay has yet to be reached for further comment, and his remaining family member has declined any interview,” the anchorman reported, trying to sound sympathetic and not being very convincing.

“Tragic, just tragic,” the anchorwoman replied. She was the only one who actually seemed legitimately sorry for Mikleo. “Police are still investigating the death of Muse le Fay. If anyone has any information that could help, please contact—"

Sorey’s phone rang, making him jump. He saw that it was Alisha calling and he immediately picked up.

“What’s up?” he asked, distracted.

“Did you see the news about Mikleo?” She sounded tentative, like she was walking on eggshells.

“I...yeah, but he never told me anything….” The brunet couldn’t help thinking _why_. Why would Mikleo have kept that from him?

But he knew why. It was a stupid question. Mikleo would never have wanted to add his personal problems onto Sorey’s plate when he was already dealing with the mirror world. If he had a choice, he would’ve stayed silent about it until his dying breath than burden Sorey with it.

Stupid. He’d been so _stupid_ to neglect his friend like that. The person he cared about the most had been suffering with Muse’s death all week and Sorey was totally clueless.

“Oh, uh, Sorey? Lailah wants the phone, hang on.”

He heard Alisha pass off her cell phone to Lailah, and what he heard next almost shattered his world.

“Sorey, I just tried to contact Mikleo. He’s not picking up.”

“Okay, uh, hang on, Lailah. I’ll try to contact him myself. I’ll call back!” Sorey hung up the phone without waiting for a reply and immediately went to Mikleo’s entry in his contacts list to call him.

He heard it ring. And ring. And _ring_.

Nobody answered.

Sorey tried two more times before grabbing his keys and running out of the apartment. He sprinted down the path Mikleo normally took to get to work, barely avoiding people who were commuting that morning. When he reached the bus station, he saw something that made his heart drop faster than a bird that had been shot.

There was a hole of shattered glass in the pane that faced the station. Everyone walked by it like they couldn’t see it, and sitting right next to the hole was Mikleo’s bag.

He called Lailah.

“Mikleo’s been taken.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an AU that I feel that I might revisit later. So, apologies for the cliffhanger!


	3. Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU: Sorey comes back as a fire seraph
> 
> And now the chapter that warrants the rating! Also...first time writing smut in a fic...haha......................

Honestly, if Sorey was ever asked what led up to their first time, he couldn’t say. It felt like a natural next step after one of their late-night conversations, sitting next to each other on their shared bed casually. If they were asked about how it went, the dreamy look on his face and the scarlet of Mikleo’s face would probably be answer enough.

The first kiss was brief and delicate, but no less affectionate. In the back of his mind, Sorey marveled at how soft and cool Mikleo’s lips felt against his own. He chased after them without thought, wanting to feel it again, and he was rewarded with the other seraph smiling into the kiss. Warmth spread from his heart as his pulse quickened. Giddiness bubbled in his stomach and made Sorey want to laugh. He managed to refrain from doing so by focusing on kissing Mikleo chastely multiple times, like he wasn’t able to get enough of it. His beloved chuckled softly in between before halting the onslaught by curling slender fingers into Sorey’s hair. His hold on those strands was gentle, though firm, and Mikleo’s tongue tentatively pushed against his lips. Sorey didn’t even hesitate to allow him entrance, curious to see what this would feel like.

At first, it was kind of weird to feel another person’s tongue roaming inside his mouth. Yet, the initial feeling of weirdness was quickly replaced with pleasure as the tip of Mikleo’s tongue ran against his own. Sorey hummed briefly as he moved his tongue underneath the other seraph’s and felt a soft, contented sigh in response to his efforts. He brought his arms up to loop loosely around Mikleo’s neck, one of his hands moving to the back of his head to thread his fingers through those long, pale, silken strands. Deciding that it would be a good time to experiment, Sorey sucked gently on Mikleo’s tongue. The water seraph made a surprised, though pleased, sound in the back of his throat as Sorey pulled away with a somewhat wet sound. Not even a second past before they kissed again, and there was a new edge of heat to the kiss. This time was Sorey’s turn to explore the inside of Mikleo’s mouth, running his tongue against the other seraph’s and along the teeth he could reach.

Mikleo shifted and Sorey made an educated guess on what his partner wanted to do. He moved so that his legs were up on the bed and the water seraph wasted no time in clambering onto his lap. The change in position had a curious effect on Sorey, making it feel as though there was a fire settling in his stomach due to how close in proximity they were. At the same time, he felt the desire to be even closer than this, though he couldn’t see how. He gripped Mikleo’s hair tighter as his other hand clung to the back of his shirt. The water seraph then took that moment to suck on his bottom lip, which felt surprisingly good. Sorey couldn’t help a soft moan as he gingerly nipped Mikleo’s upper lip in response. He heard his partner’s breath hitch in his throat. They pulled away, taking a moment to breathe, as Mikleo put his forehead against Sorey’s and looked into each other’s eyes. His heart fluttered in his chest as he saw unguarded affection and love in the other seraph’s face, as well as something else he couldn’t quite put a finger on. Whatever it was, it filled Sorey with a strange amount of excitement and anticipation, and he couldn’t help thinking even that looked beautiful coming from Mikleo.

“I love you,” Sorey whispered, words that were meant solely for his beloved. The smile he was given was absolutely gorgeous, though he couldn’t help noticing that Mikleo’s already pink face had gotten a shade darker.

“I love you, too,” Mikleo answered as he caressed Sorey’s cheek with his free hand. The water seraph kissed him again, so sweetly that he felt that it was entirely possible for a person to melt like ice. Sorey sighed in contentment as the fingers in his hair moved to lightly massage his scalp.

As their kisses heated up again, he felt his partner’s hands leave and almost whined at the loss of contact before feeling them run over the fabric of his shirt against his stomach. Sorey made some kind of noise of pleasure in the back of his throat as they roamed up along his sides and chest. He’d never felt so _aware_ of everything that Mikleo did to him, craving more of that touch as his nerves seemed to tingle. At the same time, Sorey felt the need to do the same to the water seraph. He wanted to touch and explore, to see more of what Mikleo liked. His own calloused hands slid down to his partners shoulders and chest, down along his sides before gripping his hips. Mikleo’s breath seemed to stutter against Sorey’s lips, and a small, breathy sound escaped along with it.

Almost abruptly, he felt cool hands against the skin of his stomach and then the back of Mikleo’s nails lightly dragged up his sides. A shiver skittered down Sorey’s spine and he hummed in pleasure at the sensation. He brought his hands to the small of the water seraph’s back, and moved them under the fabric of his shirt to knead at the muscles there. Mikleo seemed to lean into the touch and he inhaled somewhat sharply. He nipped at Sorey’s bottom lip before slipping his tongue back inside his mouth as smooth hands found their way to his nipples, brushing lightly over them. Sorey grunted, both pleased and surprised by how good that felt. Mikleo, bless him, took it as a sign to roll them gently between his thumb and index finger, which caused him to moan and squirm slightly under the other seraph.

The water seraph pulled away, his face flushed and panting, and his eyes seemed a little darker, though no less alluring. Sorey was panting as well, and he was sure that his expression mirrored Mikleo’s. Then, his partner reached down and took off his shirt, revealing his slender, supple body. Sorey couldn’t help staring at him in awe, his eyes freely roaming to take in the sight.

“You’re so beautiful,” Sorey said automatically. Mikleo’s face turned a bit more red as he glanced away, but he thought he saw a pleased look on his face.

“And _you’re_ biased,” Mikleo retorted, his tone teasing. Sorey merely grinned, knowing full well that he was and would never deny that.

“Maybe, but it’s also true!”

Before the water seraph could say anything, he rested his hands against Mikleo’s cheeks and gently guided his head down for an affectionate, chaste kiss. He then kissed the corner of his mouth and the middle of his circlet. Sorey was rewarded with a lovely, small smile that spoke volumes of how much the water seraph felt for him.

“Romantic,” Mikleo teased, though there was a hint of adoration in his tone.

Sorey reached down to take off his own shirt, not at all missing the appreciative look on his beloved’s face as lavender eyes also took in the view. A pale, smooth hand went to his chest and gently pushed so that he’d lie on the bed while Mikleo braced against his arms to lean over him. His long hair cascaded down his shoulders and over his back like a waterfall. They kissed again, languid and relaxing though no less hot and passionate in its own way. Sorey tangled one of his hands into that gorgeous hair while he used his other to lightly drag blunt nails along the length of the water seraph’s spine. Mikleo made a low sound of pleasure in the back of his throat, arching his back into Sorey’s touch.

His partner pulled away from the kiss and he almost made a sound of discontent, but he changed his mind when he felt Mikleo very gently biting the outside of his ear. Sorey’s reaction was immediate. He moaned, throaty and much louder than any of the other sounds he’d made that night. A shiver went down his spine as Mikleo chuckled quietly against his ear, his breath tickling him in a way that was oddly exciting.

“You like that, hm?” he whispered in Sorey’s ear, sounding somewhat amused.

“A-apparently.”

Mikleo proceeded to suck on his earlobe and carefully nibbled the end of it, clearly not wanting to cause pain. He even gave the same treatment to his other ear. Sorey shut his eyes tightly as he panted and moaned. His grip on the water seraph’s hair tightened and he pressed his nails harder against his back. He heard Mikleo’s breath hitch before feeling lips press fleeting kisses down along his neck. Sorey hummed in pleasure, which quickly turned into a surprised moan when those kisses turned to teeth dragging down his neck and chest. He whimpered and keened as his partner put his mouth against one of his nipples, nibbling, licking, and sucking. As Mikleo turned his attention to the other nipple while rolling the one he’d just been on between his fingers, Sorey couldn’t help rolling his hips up against the other seraph.

“Ah!” The water seraph had to pause in his ministrations after that sound of surprise and pleasure. His breath was ragged and they both took a brief moment to rest, trying to get their breathing under some sort of control. However, as Mikleo resumed by kissing down the middle of his chest, his hips started to grind against Sorey’s. Sorey moaned loudly, finding himself paralyzed by feelings of desire to do anything more than add to the friction by rolling his own hips against Mikleo’s again. He heard the water seraph choking back on a moan of his own, which Sorey decided to count as a victory.

Mikleo stopped his movements only long enough to take off Sorey’s pants and underwear, which he helped by lifting up his hips to make it easier for the water seraph. Both of them were panting rather hard, but that didn’t stop his partner from slipping his tongue inside his mouth for a heated kiss. One of the water seraph’s hands trailed between Sorey’s legs, tracing along his length and gently rubbing against his balls. He moaned shamelessly, absolutely incapable of caring how loud he was at that moment. It simply felt sinfully good and he wasn’t shy about letting Mikleo know that fact. Slender fingers wrapped around the base of his dick and he couldn’t help making a high-pitched noise at how electrifying it felt.

“Mi-Mikleo,” Sorey panted, his voice practically dripping with need as he broke away from the kiss. He couldn’t help a gasp as the water seraph gave an experimental pump, whimpering as he felt a thumb rub against his tip. His grip on Mikleo was so tight that he might well be hanging on for dear life. Sorey kissed him sloppily and breathed his name in desperate desire against soft lips between those kisses as his beloved continued pumping afterward, his toes curling. It was like a blur of building pressure and pleasure before he finally climaxed with a cry of Mikleo’s true name, panting heavily. He kissed the water seraph again out of affection and love, which Mikleo didn’t hold back on reciprocating.

“Your turn,” he said after pulling away, still slightly breathless. The water seraph merely nodded as the two switched places. Sorey settled himself comfortably on Mikleo after taking off the water seraph’s pants, straddling his hips and feeling his unmistakable arousal against him.

He kissed Mikleo, sweet and adoring, and the other seraph sighed in contentment. Sorey moved from his beloved’s mouth to trail butterfly kisses down his jawline and to his neck. He felt Mikleo’s shiver and went with his instincts to gently bite the skin. The water seraph inhaled sharply, and he heard a soft whimper. Sorey then tried to see what would happen if he sucked at his neck, moving to a spot near the base. Mikleo’s hands flung up to Sorey’s hair, gripping him tightly as he shook from the effort of trying not to be too loud. However, the water seraph couldn’t stop the soft, high-pitch noises that came at every exhale.

“T-too much,” Mikleo said abruptly. Though there was some pleasure in his voice, Sorey also detected some pain in it, too. He stopped sucking and planted a chaste kiss on his cheek.

“Sorry,” he whispered before going back to his neck. Though he sucked at the skin again, Sorey made sure that it was brief instead of prolonged. He wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice if he could help it.

Sorey decided to experiment again by seeing if sucking at Mikleo’s sternum would produce any results. He made sure it was brief, but the reaction was absolutely worth it. The water seraph moaned and moved his hips up against Sorey, who made a mental note. He trailed kisses down from sternum to stomach, moving down from Mikleo’s hips in the process. The other seraph keened softly as he did and Sorey couldn’t help grinning a little bit. He brought his head down to kiss the inside of one of Mikleo’s thighs, causing his partner to whimper softly. Carefully, Sorey nipped and sucked at various spots, giving both thighs equal attention.

“Sorey,” his beloved breathed, choking back on a moan. Green eyes looked up at that point and it made him feel warm inside to see the expression on Mikleo’s face. It was a delightful mixture of love, desire, and pleasure. If anything, it made him even more determined to make the water seraph feel good.

He moved back up to kiss Mikleo while one hand ghosted against his dick and balls. The water seraph made a low sound of need in the back of his throat, which turned into a surprised gasp when Sorey started massaging the skin between balls and hole. He had no idea what it was called, but he _could_ feel that there was a muscle there. Clearly, it was causing Mikleo no small amount of pleasure as his breathing became heavier and couldn’t bite back on a moan that time. He made a mental note to do some research on male anatomy.

“S-Sorey, please,” the water seraph begged breathlessly. He wasted no more time, wrapping his hand around the base of Mikleo’s dick. Sorey started slowly, twisting his hand and running his thumb over the tip as he neared it. It didn’t take long for him to find a rhythm as his partner squirmed under him, unable to do anything other than keen with a nice peppering of Sorey’s name until he climaxed. After Mikleo caught his breath, he kissed Sorey chastely a couple times. In response, he nuzzled the water seraph’s cheek in a burst of unbridled affection. Mikleo chuckled softly at that.

“Okay, okay, you hopeless romantic, let’s clean ourselves up a bit before you try to cuddle me,” Mikleo told him, trying to sound stern and failing. Sorey grinned as he climbed off of his partner, a little surprised at how his legs felt a bit like jelly.

“I’ll get a couple washcloths,” he said cheerfully before exiting the bedroom. He returned momentarily with two washcloths, as promised. Sorey handed one to Mikleo as they quickly wiped the cum off of themselves. Then, they didn’t hesitate in slipping under the covers to hold each other in their arms, legs tangling together loosely. The couple said nothing more after, enjoying the shared bliss before drifting off to sleep.


	4. Wind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU: Wind Seraph Mikleo + post-game
> 
> This fic was inspired by Sia's song, _Chandelier_ , and also my own feelings of guilt in a personal situation once.

Mikleo considered the bottle of some kind of alcohol in front of him almost dispassionately. He was pretty sure it was a brand of whiskey. The wind seraph couldn’t help thinking that it was such a cliched drink to be contemplating, but he was having a hard time caring too much about that. Really, all Mikleo could bring himself to care about was whether he was _actually_ going to go through with what he felt like doing, which was down the whole damn bottle. He wasn’t a drinker by any stretch of the imagination, half because he wasn’t a fan of the bitter taste and half because he didn’t like that it messed with his judgment.

How ironic that his judgment was already pretty messed up and he hadn’t even had a shot.

He rested his forehead against his hands with his elbows on the countertop. He was home, totally alone, and this was the hardest crossroads he’d ever come across. It was the 500th anniversary of Sorey’s decision to sleep. Mikleo should be stronger than this, but all he wanted to do was drink to forget for just one night. He wanted to be weak just this once.

Logic said that it’d be a slippery slope to think like that. One night might turn into a string of nights, which might then lead to an addiction whenever he wanted an escape. Would he be strong enough to resist that? Besides that, the wind seraph had never been drunk. It would be wiser to try it with a person he trusted with him to keep him grounded or at least keep him out of trouble. Hell, even Zaveid, a water seraph, could at _least_ use a Purity Heal on him if he drank too much.

Those thoughts chased themselves around and around in his head. Opening his eyes, he couldn’t help glancing over to the bottle. Mikleo hesitated before reaching over to uncork it and filled a shot glass. He stopped, hesitating once more. Was it really going to help him in any way? The loneliness would still be there in the morning. It wouldn’t bring Sorey or Gramps back. It wouldn’t bring back the other human friends he’d made over the centuries. It wouldn’t change a damn thing.

Nothing would change if he didn’t go through with it, either.

_Screw it._

The wind seraph quickly downed the liquid. He put the glass back down with a shudder as the bitterness smacked his senses instantly.

“Well, that cleared my sinuses,” Mikleo muttered sardonically. Staring at the empty shot glass, he sighed and poured another. He tossed it back, shuddering again, though it wasn’t quite as bad as the first shot.

It was after his third shot that he decided to actually be responsible in the midst of his stupidity. The wind seraph stood, somewhat shakily, to his feet to fill a pitcher of water and poured himself a big glass of it. He brought both back to the counter he was sitting at, drinking the whole glass before allowing himself to even consider a fourth.

He lost count after a while. Truthfully, most of the night became a blur with only snatches of memories that stuck out in his mind. Mikleo remembered that there was a point where he simply broke down and sobbed disconsolately. There was another point where he was pretty sure he’d had a sudden mood shift, giggling as he manipulated the wind to pick up random things around the house and tried to do some “home improvement.” Mikleo was also pretty sure he’d actually stepped outside once, grinning as he made a strong wind shake the tree branches around his house. It was _entirely possible_ that he’d even tried to see if he could manage a semblance of flight, despite his inebriated state.

Eventually, though, the wind seraph did finally pass out. When he woke up, he was on the floor in the middle of his living room. It turned out to be the only clean spot as the rest of the place was an utter mess. Mikleo was glad for the water last night, as it kept the worst of the hangover from hitting him that morning.

What he wasn’t expecting was the immediate stab of shame in his heart. Mikleo brought his knees up to his chest, resting his arms and forehead on them. He couldn’t stop the tears from coming nor the sobs that wracked his body. That morning, only one thought pervaded his mind, bringing a force of guilt so strong that it would’ve bowled him over with the force of hurricane winds if he’d been standing.

What would Sorey think of this?

What would Sorey think of _him?_

It was so hard to stop crying that Mikleo just gave up trying. He let himself get it out of his system. It was all he could do. Never had the wind seraph felt so trapped by the force of his emotions, like he’d been caught up in a tornado. Mikleo wasn’t sure how long he sat there sobbing and feeling as though his ribs would break with how much his chest felt like it was contracting. Eventually, he calmed down long enough to get to his feet. He absently ran a hand through his long, loose hair, gazing down at the mess with the look of a man who’d been broken.

He left the room to get a shower and brush his teeth to get the gross aftertaste out of his mouth. Mikleo manipulated wind and fire mana to dry his hair as he brushed it. Then, he took out a hair tie, gathering his pale hair tipped with light green and put it up into a ponytail. It was messier than normal, but he couldn’t find it within himself to care at the moment.

Mikleo returned to the living room and spent a good portion of the day cleaning his mess, thanking everything that his antics last night hadn’t broken anything. When he was done, he sat on the couch with a glass of water, staring at the clean floor.

“Never again,” the wind seraph said aloud, his voice sounding brittle even to his own ears. He couldn’t do that again. That wasn’t the person Mikleo wanted to become. That wasn’t the person Sorey deserved to wake up to.

Mikleo clenched at the glass in his hand, feeling the tears come again. He tried to take a deep breath to calm down, but instead he just broke down again. No...no, this was a shame he knew he’d feel for a few days, at the very least. As long as the seraph didn’t let it corrupt him, he’d learn to live with it. For Sorey’s sake, he had to.


	5. Void

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU: Loveless
> 
> I kinda wanna revisit this one, too, if I'm perfectly honest. Oh, also, I've decided that Day Seven will be a continuation of the Persona AU, so I hope you guys look forward to that!

Mikleo wasn’t doing well and he knew the reason why. The enemy unit before him was not only dealing physical damage, but were using the fact that the damage would be transferred to his Sacrifice to attack him psychologically. The smug look on the enemy Fighter’s face made him want to use a seraphic arte to turn her into an icicle. Not that the enemy Sacrifice’s expression was much better, looking as though he was taking sick glee in Mikleo’s torment. He tried taking a deep breath, attempting to calm himself enough so that he could think strategically. Sorey _needed_ him to be calm and win the match as quickly as possible.

“Cat got your tongue?” Lance asked innocently. “Where’s the banter, the smart remark?”

“Now, now,” Gwen gently chided. “You can’t expect him to be witty when his dear Sacrifice is suffering so much because of his own ineptitude.”

He felt his tail bristling as he gritted his teeth, trying not to let their words get to him.

“I suppose you have a point,” the enemy Sacrifice conceded with mocking reluctance. “Still, I’d expect _some_ kind of challenge for us. Seraph Mikleo hasn’t even been able to put one chain on me in retaliation!”

Lance sounded both disappointed and bored. He only viewed the two of them as playthings and was trying to bait Mikleo into pulling a stupid move, that much was clear to the water seraph. Still...it was hard not to, but the idea of doing something that could put Sorey at an even greater risk was intolerable. Mikleo needed to calm down and think. Yet, all he could do was think about—

“Mikleo,” Sorey said from behind him, his voice weak and full of pain. Suddenly, the water seraph felt arms hanging loosely around his neck. He couldn’t stop himself from looking down and seeing the gold chains dangling from Sorey’s wrists, burning the skin. As his friend rested his forehead against the back of Mikleo’s head, he could also somewhat feel the chains wrapped around Sorey’s neck as they swayed from the movement.

Guilt took the water seraph’s heart into its iron grip. His cat ears drooped and he couldn’t stop staring in abject horror at the cursed chains that were the cause of Sorey’s pain. They were _Mikleo’s_ fault for taking so much damage during the fight, and Lance was maddeningly free from those chains.

“Mikleo,” Sorey said again, his voice bringing the water seraph back from his thoughts. “It's okay. You have time. Just calm down and think.”

Mikleo tried to take a deep breath, but he couldn't stop staring at his Sacrifice’s chains. His friend seemed to sense what was wrong and his grip on the seraph tightened.

“I'll be alright.”

He closed his eyes, focusing on the steady beat of Sorey's heart. It helped to calm him and the tempest of thoughts in his head. Yielding wasn't on the table just yet. He could still win the battle and deny Fearless their satisfaction. Mikleo and Sorey's destined name wasn't Hopeful for nothing, damn it. The water seraph straightened himself, glaring at his foes.

Mikleo would make them feel fear.

“ **Absolute Zero!** ”

The temperature started to drop. It was quite an advanced spell, and not one Mikleo used lightly. He was forcing the temperature of their environment to drop down to absolute zero, but him and Sorey would be unaffected. As long as he could hold out until it became cold enough to endanger Fearless’ lives, forcing them to yield, Hopeful would win.

Fearless seemed to understand his plan. Instead of looking scared or spiteful, they shared an interested expression. Neither of them had a clue that Mikleo’s forte was defensive spells, which he would use to his advantage.

“ _Finally_ the fun begins!” Lance crowed.

“ **Rend!** ” Gwen’s spell sent out a bolt of energy the color of blood. The way it careened through the air made it seem as though it was practically dripping with it.

“ **Barrier!** ” Mikleo countered. A magical dome encased Hopeful, glowing a faint aqua. The spell hit the transparent dome and was deflected without a scratch on the barrier.

There was a pause from the enemy unit before Gwen tried again with a different spell. She sent a bolt of lightning to crack down on the barrier, but Mikleo only winced slightly as he kept the barrier up. It would only last eight or nine more turns, but that would be long enough for Absolute Zero to reach the temperature most dangerous for humans. After all, that one was based on real time and not turns like most spells.

“Turning it into an endurance test, are you?” She sniffed derisively. “How cowardly. Have you no shame, seraph?”

“To hell with shame if it means protecting him!” Mikleo retorted heatedly.

Frost streaked across the ground like veins and their breaths became visible in the chill. Fearless was running out of time. Hope fluttered in Mikleo's heart. If he could just keep it up…!

Something in the look on Fearless’ faces made him pause. The way Gwen and Lance glanced at each other had dread settling over Mikleo’s shoulders like a funeral shawl, heavy and dark. He couldn’t claim to know their minds like he did Sorey’s, but he could tell that something was wrong. Sorey’s hold on the water seraph tightened, signaling that he’d sensed it, too.

“In that case,” Lance started, his face a stony mask. It was so unlike his previous behavior that it took Mikleo by surprise.

“Let us see which of us is truly without fear,” Gwen completed with a humorless smile. The water seraph felt like his heart fell somewhere on the ground between his feet. He had an idea of what they were planning to do, but he wasn’t completely sure. Surely not even Fearless would be that stubborn.

It was strangely somber and horrifying as Gwen thew spell after spell at Mikleo, but could never break his barrier. He had to throw up a second one, but it only granted him five more turns. The next would only give him three. It exhausted him and gave him a pounding headache after the third spell hit his second barrier. However, the seraph was determined to not let it down for any reason. He _would_ protect Sorey, no matter the cost.

All the while, it grew colder and colder.

“ _Yield,_ damn it!” the seraph shouted, shouldering passed the pain in desperation. “You’ll die at this rate!”

Lance was holding onto Gwen tightly as they shivered against each other. Her hand clasped his arm weakly and it was clear that they were both at the end of their rope. There wasn’t much energy left in them. Soon, the cold would claim their lives if they didn’t surrender the battle. The pair looked Mikleo dead in the eyes, only a spark of their former attitude remaining.

“We fear nothing. Not even death,” Fearless said as one. Gwen tried to send another spell at his barrier, but it was so weak that it fizzled out halfway there. She grunted in dissatisfaction.

Meanwhile, Mikleo was paralyzed with indecision. What should he do? Should he throw the battle in order to save their lives? _Nothing_ was worth this! On the other hand...if he _did_ spare them, then would they come back after Hopeful for revenge? Mikleo wasn’t sure he was strong enough to protect Sorey if they fought them again. He doubted that they’d win even if the two of them switched for that rematch.

 _As long as you two hold hope in your hearts, you’ll always be able to do the impossible,_ Gramps had told them once.

The water seraph wasn’t so sure of that. Perhaps that was what held them back from achieving their full potential as a unit. Mikleo couldn’t believe it as strongly as Sorey, and maybe that was why he was a weak Fighter in comparison to his partner.

In the end, it was Mikleo’s indecision that cost Fearless their lives. The two of them closed their eyes and the darkness of their battlefield faded back into the brightness of Pearloats Meadow. He felt the chains disappear from Sorey. Rose and the others were far off to the side, but they didn’t come closer just yet. They seemed to realize that the two of them needed a second. His ears drooped, and he found that he couldn’t face his other half at that moment.

Sorey took matters into his own hands by moving so that he was in front of Mikleo. He grasped the seraph’s shoulders, his grip gentle but firm. He glanced at his partner’s wrist, where one of the chains had been, and felt his throat tighten at the burn mark that had been left there.

“Sorey, I….”

“I didn’t know what to do either,” he interrupted. Tentatively, Mikleo looked up to meet Sorey’s face, and the expression he saw made his heart ache. Anguish and guilt weren’t emotions he liked to see on his normally cheerful face.

“I didn’t know what to tell you or if it would’ve been _right_ to tell you to do anything,” Sorey whispered, looking like he was on the verge of tears. “I don’t...I don’t want to order you around like some Sacrifices do. I was afraid that….”

Mikleo’s mind filled in the blank. He knew that Sorey was scared that if he’d ordered Mikleo to do anything in that moment that might’ve contradicted his own thoughts on the matter, it could’ve been an abuse of their relationship with each other. A Fighter obeyed their Sacrifice without question. That was simply how things were in a battle. Sorey preferred it to be more equal between the two of them, only giving out orders if it meant grounding or saving Mikleo.

The water seraph reached up to lightly touch the burn around his partner’s neck. Mikleo was quiet as he healed it and the other burns, taking that time to think of the words he wanted to say in answer.

“We won’t let that happen again,” he said softly as he looked back up into emerald green eyes. “Neither of us will let indecision stop us next time. Okay?”

After a moment of silence, Sorey nodded. With a small smile, he used one hand to scratch behind one of Mikleo’s cat ears. The seraph couldn’t help smiling himself. It was a gesture that never failed to make him feel good, as long as it came from Sorey. Feeling somewhat better, the pair walked over to Fearless’ still forms. Lailah, Edna, and Dezel’s essences flew into Sorey only to rematerialize next to them a second later. Rose caught up with them ‘the old fashioned way,’ looking at the seraphim wearily.

“Sheesh, that whole vessel thing is totally unfair,” Rose commented sullenly. It at least got a weak chuckle from Sorey and Mikleo. The Shepherd looked at Edna.

“Edna, would you mind helping us bury them?” The earth seraph shrugged, seemingly nonchalant.

“I suppose I could do that, if it gets us out of the rain faster.”

It took no more than a minute for her to use her control over the earth to bury Fearless’ bodies, using a pile of stones as a grave marker. For the time being, the group didn’t ask the pair any questions about what happened. It was clear to them that it would take a little time before Hopeful would be comfortable with telling them about it. So, the four seraphim retreated into Sorey’s body and they continued toward Pendrago to meet with Sergei.

Privately, Mikleo couldn’t help thinking that this was only the beginning of the hard decisions they would face in the future.


	6. Lightning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU: Role Swap
> 
> Confession, I really love this AU and I wanna do more of it. ;;

Sorey knew that something was wrong the moment Mikleo started wincing and clutching the left side of his chest. That was where his birthmark was. A birthmark that looked more like a somewhat raw scar. He knew that sometimes it actually pained his friend, to a point where it could go from minor discomfort to so much pain that it numbed his shoulder. The lightning seraph frowned at Mikleo, who was sitting on the bed in their room at the inn. His friend caught the look and gave him a small, strained smile.

“It’s just pins and needles,” the Shepherd said, trying to be reassuring. However, the wince he made when he moved his hand away told Sorey that it was hurting more than that. He sat down on Mikleo’s left, but he knew better than to touch.

“I know I’m not the best at healing artes, but maybe they could help,” Sorey told him gently. Mikleo shook his head. He couldn’t help noticing how each strand of light brown hair fell back perfectly into place.

“Don’t trouble yourself,” he said. Mikleo teasingly added, “Besides, you’d probably make my hair stand on end again.”

Sorey smiled, but it was a little strained. He didn’t have to say anything. Mikleo understood, dropping his lavender eyes to stare at the hand in his lap. The Shepherd sighed.

“Sorry.” He brushed his bangs aside, momentarily revealing his circlet. “Well...I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to try.”

The lightning seraph nodded and carefully hovered his hand over the place where Mikleo’s birthmark was. Sorey concentrated and a soft, gold light came out from under his palm. He heard a sigh of relief from his friend, and he took that as his cue to stop.

Mikleo’s reaction was immediate. The brunet grabbed at his birthmark again, his face contorted in pain. Sorey reached out to put his hand on his friend’s, concerned and guilty.

“I’m so sorry! What—”

“It wasn’t your fault,” he managed. “I felt fine until you stopped. No!”

Sorey winced at the sharpness in that ‘no’ when he prepared himself to try healing again. Mikleo removed his hand from his shirt and from the seraph’s, covering one side of his face with it. He still looked pained, but it seemed like it was subsiding.

“Lords, Sorey, I’m sorry. I’m...kind of a mess.”

“No, it’s okay. I’m...I’m sorry I hurt you.”

Mikleo shook his head as he leaned against Sorey gently. The brunet had to still be feeling tender, so he was careful as he put an arm around his waist to better comfort him. He looked so tired and Sorey couldn’t help feeling his heart _ache_ for him. He wanted to do more for the human, but...there was nothing.

“Stop blaming yourself for things that aren’t in your control,” the Shepherd said softly. “You help a lot just by being here when it happens.”

Sorey looked down at him in mild surprise, and he saw that Mikleo was looking away with a faint blush on his cheeks. The lightning seraph smiled warmly at him. Maybe it wasn’t much help, but at least it was _something_.

“I’m gonna take a nap,” the brunet abruptly remarked. “Just...wake me up when it’s time to head down for dinner.”

The seraph merely nodded, though neither of them moved from their position. He stayed sitting there as Mikleo’s breathing eventually steadied, indicating that he’d fallen asleep. A few minutes later, Sorey carefully moved so that the two of them laid down on the bed, though he continued to hold his closest friend.


	7. Purity/Malevolence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU: Persona
> 
> The long-awaited conclusion to Day Two's cliffhanger! Funnily enough, this was originally gonna be a Kingdom Hearts AU. Anyway, sorry it's late and if it's lackluster in comparison. I didn't have time to edit it like I wanted to today. Either way, I expect to really work on a Persona AU series in the future, and while these scenes that I've written _will_ be in them, I may change them to better fit the flow of the story. Enough of my talking, though! Hope you guys enjoy this one!

Sorey was pacing in front of the jagged hole in the window, glancing at Lailah and Alisha every once in awhile to check on their progress. Truthfully, if it wasn’t for his two friends talking him down, he would’ve rushed in the moment he called in Mikleo’s disappearance. It was all he could do to keep his anxiety over his best friend’s well-being in check. Lailah was all set, waiting patiently and calmly next to Alisha, who was trying to use her Persona to get an initial read on the maze they’d be walking into. Her face was contorted into complete concentration and mild frustration. It didn’t give Sorey any comfort. For their sake, as well as Mikleo’s, he _had_ to be patient.

“I’m sorry, but I just can’t find where Mikleo’s being kept,” Alisha finally said. She looked so guilty and frustrated that Sorey stopped his pacing to try reassuring her.

“No, no, it’s okay, Alisha! You did your best and that’s all we could’ve asked for.” Lailah nodded after he spoke up and gave her a smile.

“Sorey’s right. Besides, it’s entirely possible that Mikleo’s mirror maze is too complicated for Lugh, and that might be intentional.”

“You’re not saying Mikleo _doesn’t_ want us to find him, are you?” Sorey asked, sounding a little incredulous. Why wouldn’t he want to be found? He felt like the answer should be obvious, but his fear was clouding his mind and prevented him from thinking straight. Sorey knew that, but he still couldn’t wrap his head around it.

Lailah clasped her hands together neatly, laying them on her stomach as she gave the brunet a pensive look. Sorey couldn’t help feeling a surge of gratitude for her calm presence. Normally that was Mikleo’s job between the two of them, but he didn’t have that to rely on anymore. No, not ‘anymore.’ Just ‘for now.’ Sorey refused to believe that they wouldn’t be able to save his best friend. They _would_ bring him home.

“Sorey,” she said, bringing him out of his thoughts. “If Mikleo doesn’t want us to find him, then I suspect that it’s because he wants to protect us from whatever we’ll face in there. You understand that, don’t you?”

Reluctantly, he nodded. It was true that Mikleo had a protective trait. Sorey couldn’t even count how many times his childhood friend had spoken up whenever someone said something bad about the brunet. He could clearly remember how he had to physically hold Mikleo back at one point when someone at their high school called Sorey some kind of slur. It was only when they got home that Mikleo explained what the word had meant.

“Then let us not waste anymore time,” Alisha stated decisively. Her jade eyes flashed with determination. “We only have a week to get through the maze and save Mikleo.”

The other two nodded. With that, the trio of Persona users walked into the hole.

_Hang tight, Mikleo. We’ll get you out of here in no time!_

~*

When they entered the maze, Sorey’s first thought was that it was beautiful. Water flowed in sheets down the walls like liquid glass and had gorgeous murals that hid behind the water. The murals were rather simple, consisting of continuous patterns made by the various shades of blue, green, and light purple tiles. The floor was made of marble and turquoise, but, strangely, it wasn’t slippery at all when Sorey took a couple experimental steps forward. He’d always thought that Mikleo was beautiful, both physically and in personality, but he never considered that his maze could’ve been the same way.

Then he registered that it was chilly. There was also the sound of a distant, larger waterfall that roared above the sound from the smaller ones. For all its beauty, the place was still a cold prison, and the most important person in the world to him was being kept in its heart. Sorey just prayed that the chill didn’t claim Mikleo before they could get to him.

Without a word, the trio moved on.

Most of the Shadows they faced were weak to either electricity or fire. Between Lailah and Sorey, they went down fairly quickly. Yet, no matter what hallway they entered, the sound of the roaring waterfall remained with them like white noise. It didn’t help that the halls looked the same and sometimes would take them up or down or managed to twist them back to the entrance. The three Persona users were exhausted and getting a bit frustrated at their perceived lack of progress. All they had to go by were the empty treasure chests after they’d taken what was inside them. Even then, they were confused by all the different paths they could take. Alisha couldn’t help gritting her teeth at one point.

“I can sense that there are three stable rooms here,” she said, almost growling, “But I can’t tell how to _get_ there.”

“If we could just reach one, do you think you’ll be able to get back there?” Lailah asked, rubbing her hands together to try warming them. Between the three of them, she looked like she wasn’t taking the cold very well. Whether they found the first room or not, they’d need to leave the maze before it became too dangerous for her.

That option didn’t sit well with Sorey, but he couldn’t risk the lives of his two friends, either. He couldn’t be selfish about this.

“I think so. I should be able to link the room to the main entrance once we get there,” she replied. However, Alisha didn’t sound completely sure. Sorey did his best to give her a reassuring smile.

“If it doesn’t work, then we can always figure something out,” Sorey soothed. “So, let’s not worry about it until we have to. Alright?”

The girls hesitated before nodding. They knew that this was going to be the hardest on Sorey. So, without further comment, they trudged forth for another attempt to find the first ‘safe’ room.

~*

It felt like an hour before they reached a room full of light purple murals. The room was a stark contrast to the hallways they’d been in. There was a strange sense of sadness that hung in the air, though the waterfall continued to be heard even here. Perhaps what was more eerie about the room was that there was no water anywhere. It was completely dry, and one single chest was there. Sorey didn’t hesitate to walk over and open it, inhaling sharply at what he saw inside.

In the chest was Mikleo’s circlet, but broken in half.

“Muse,” Sorey whispered before gently closing the lid. That wasn’t something he wanted to take from it. Frankly, something told him that he _shouldn’t_ take it.

At that moment, the three of them jumped when they heard a voice that wasn’t their own.

“Do you have any idea who might have killed your mother? Do you suspect your uncle at all?”

“That’s—” Alisha started before being cut off by the sound of Mikleo’s voice.

“How the hell should I know? I didn’t even _know_ her.” He sounded so exasperated and tired that it made Sorey’s heart clench. “Besides, I doubt he was the one who killed her. He wouldn’t have come to our apartment if he was.”

That last part had the brunet reeling.

“Michael came to our apartment?” Sorey repeated hollowly. The man had only visited them twice before while Mikleo was still in high school, and both times had left his friend in a dark mood for several days.

“I wish they’d leave me alone,” Mikleo continued. He could imagine that his friend would’ve been rubbing his forehead with one hand. “It’s not like I’m grieving over her. Not like Michael or the rest of Muse’s family.”

Sorey could detect a hint of guilt in that last sentence. The trio remained silent for a moment, unsure if it would continue, but Mikleo’s disembodied voice didn’t return.

“I’ve set up the teleport,” Alisha finally said, breaking their silence. “I...I also think that we should go home and rest for tonight.”

The brunet wanted to object immediately, but he bit down on his words. One look at Lailah was enough. She was shivering harder than the other two were and trying her best to keep herself warm.

“You’re right. Let’s meet back up tomorrow evening.”

~*

The second day they went into the maze yielded only frustration as a result. Heading into the empty apartment without Mikleo there to greet him that night really brought home how _terrified_ and stressed he was. It sunk in that there was a very real chance that he could lose his closest friend to the mirror world, despite his best efforts. Sorey sunk to his knees after closing the door to their shared apartment and just cried. He really didn’t want to, knowing that it wouldn’t help bring Mikleo back, but he _needed_ to let it out somehow or it would rip him apart.

When it felt like he couldn’t cry anymore, Sorey tried to make himself something to eat, even though he hadn’t felt like eating since Mikleo’s disappearance. Nothing looked appealing to him. After settling on an apple, he managed to force down maybe a quarter of it before feeling like he couldn’t take another bite. Sorey sighed as he put it in a ziploc bag and stowed it into the fridge. He walked into his room, changing into his pajamas, and curled up on his bed.

Sleep didn’t come that night.

~*

Sorey had never been so glad to get to a single room with a lone treasure chest in his life. The joy was short-lived as he took in the appearance. Pale blue tiles surrounded the walls in a uniform fashion. Though it was the same temperature as the halls outside, this felt like it had an emotional coldness to it. He felt like he knew what it was about as he walked over to open the chest.

Inside it was the burned ashes of a book, which he could only tell by the scraps of leather and paper that hadn’t been completely destroyed.

He closed the lid without a word. That time, none of them were surprised when they heard disembodied voices. The only difference was that it was an actual conversation rather than Mikleo’s thoughts.

“You know you’re not supposed to be here,” Mikleo said coldly.

“I do know, Mikleo,” came Michael’s voice. He sounded forlorn and empty. Sorey’s heart went out to his friend’s uncle, but he felt more protective of Mikleo. Their meetings never ended calmly, doing more harm than good to both parties in one way or another.

“Then why are you here _now?_ ”

“I just need a minute to talk.”

Sorey felt his heart sink. He prayed that Mikleo said no, that he slammed the door in Michael’s face. Of course, that wasn’t what happened, and he could tell that the moment he heard his friend sigh softly.

“...Five minutes,” Mikleo said as the sound of him unchaining the door echoed ominously throughout the room. The conversation stopped there.

Heart in his throat, missing Mikleo’s voice far more than he thought he would, Sorey didn’t even look back to the others before immediately moving forward into the next hallway.

He _needed_ to get his friend out of that place.

Unfortunately, they never found the last room that night and had to return to their world for a much needed rest. Sorey didn’t even bother trying to eat dinner. Instead, he went into his bedroom and lay there on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

Four days. Mikleo only had four days left.

 _Please_ , he thought as he turned onto his side, _please be okay._

~*

It was the last possible night that they could save Mikleo and Sorey was at the end of his rope, something that both girls were able to immediately tell. They knew that whatever happened, if they couldn’t save him, then one way or another they’d lose Sorey as well.

He felt that it took forever to get to the final room. He was more than a little disappointed that it was another that held a single chest. Yet, this room was decorated with bright emerald greens and soft seafoam greens. It felt cheerful and loved, and there was a gorgeous fountain off to the side. The sound of it gurgling was all that could be heard, and even the temperature had risen to something warmer.

“Oh! This fountain can heal us!” Alisha exclaimed after having Lugh scan it. That was all Lailah and Sorey needed to take a drink from it. It was strange how he felt like his soul had been soothed as well, like Mikleo had nudged him and told him to calm down.

The whole week had been extremely taxing on Sorey, both physically and emotionally. He hadn’t been able to rest or even take care of himself adequately, focusing everything he had into finding his best friend. After drinking the water, it was like he was getting a gentle, encouraging squeeze of his shoulder. Sorey wanted to believe with every fiber of his being that they were _close_ to freeing him.

After drinking and taking a quick rest, the brunet walked over to the chest with curiosity. What on earth could be in this one? What he saw when he opened it managed to make him blush.

Nestled in a bed of forget-me-nots was an exact replica of Sorey’s feather earrings.

Sorey didn’t even have time to close the lid when the voices started. That time, he listened intently when he recognized that it was a conversation the two of them had before.

“Mikleo!” came Sorey’s happy and excited voice. The next thing that could be heard was a soft ‘oof’ from his best friend as he got an unexpected tackle-hug. He remembered that this was their first meeting after a year of separation following Mikleo’s graduation from high school. His heart ached, despite the fact that he was also smiling from happiness at the memory.

“Jeez, Sorey, you act like it’s been centuries,” Mikleo teased.

“It _felt_ like it. Using Harmony to voice chat and stuff wasn’t the same, you know!”

“Hey, it’s not my fault Gramps thought it’d be a good idea to let me skip a grade.” There was a sound of shuffling before Mikleo spoke again. “C’mon, let’s talk on the drive back to the apartment. I think you’ll like it, and I need to poke your brain for some ideas on a project that’s coming up.”

Silence fell over the trio, broken a minute later by Sorey closing the lid. He stood up straight and faced the girls with a determined expression.

“Ready?”

Alisha and Lailah nodded, equally determined.

Without another word, they opened the doors to the heart of the maze.

It was like walking into the arctic. Their breaths could be seen as they walked further inside. The room was circular with a stone ‘island’ in the center, connected by a single bridge surrounded by dark blue water. Frost covered the floor and it was silent as the grave. Two people were there in the center of the island, and only one of them wasn’t moving.

Standing there was a young man who could’ve been Mikleo, except for subtle, key differences. There was a coldness to him that was unlike his best friend. Even his beauty felt cold, like looking at an ice statue. He looked prim, proper, and immaculate in his casual clothes. Sorey wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or not, but it seemed like his clothes fit him perfectly in just the right places, bringing attention to things like the slenderness of his hips. Glancing back, he could see that Lailah and Alisha only looked prepared to deal with a fight, so perhaps it was just him. Above all, though, was the fact that instead of those lovely lavender eyes he was so fond of, he was met with smoldering yellow.

On the ground, lying so still that Sorey felt his heart stop, was the real deal. Mikleo was covered head to toe in frost, and only the faintest hint of a breath showed that he barely continued to live. All he wanted in that moment was to get his best friend out of there as fast as he could. Yet, in order to do that, he had to face his Shadow. It was hard, but Sorey managed to wrench his eyes back to Shadow Mikleo’s.

“So, you finally made it,” the Shadow said, sounding so much like Mikleo, but his tone was what Sorey imagined it’d be like if a glacier was able to speak. Unnervingly enough, he didn’t think that those yellow eyes had stopped staring at him.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Alisha quipped. She sounded only a little angry, but he knew that she was only toning it down for Mikleo’s sake. They didn’t want to risk taunting the Shadow into its monstrous form. It was too risky for the unconscious teenager.

Shadow Mikleo finally took his eyes off of Sorey to glare at her. He was a bit startled to see the dangerous anger that flashed in his eyes. As much as he tried to think of the Shadow as someone other than Mikleo, he couldn’t completely shake it. Seeing his friend look at Alisha like he wanted to rip her to pieces was disturbing. The Shadow took a step forward, but Sorey moved so that he was blocking her from his sight.

Surprisingly enough, he seemed to calm down and retract the step. For a second, Sorey was confused. Why did the Shadow back down? Then, he thought he understood. A quick glance back told him that Lailah and Alisha had the same theory.

“I understand that you expected us,” Lailah started carefully. The glare she was leveled with didn’t disturb her, but she did pause. Mikleo’s Shadow started to raise his hand, as if to send some kind of spell at her. Again, Sorey put himself in between them, and the Shadow calmed down immediately.

He refused to hurt Sorey.

“Alisha, Lailah,” the brunet said, his voice calm yet serious. “Give us a moment. I don’t think he’ll hurt me.”

The two of them wanted to protest. They didn’t trust the Shadow at all, but...they trusted Sorey. Reluctantly, the girls quietly walked back the way they came, looking behind them every few seconds. When the doors closed again, it was just Sorey, Mikleo, and the Shadow.

“Why were you waiting for me?” Sorey asked. Shadow Mikleo took a few steps closer to him, but he didn’t get the sense that he meant any harm. He almost looked...affectionate, an expression the brunet sometimes caught on his friend’s face for a fleeting moment or when he’d done something nice for him.

“I knew you’d come to save me,” he replied without missing a beat. The way he said that didn’t sit well with Sorey for some reason. The brunet glanced down at Mikleo and took a deep breath. He had to ask.

“Save you how?”

“By killing me.” The Shadow’s tone was matter-of-fact and strangely calm. Sorey’s eyes widened. Even if it wasn’t Mikleo, he didn’t think he could go through with that.

“Wh—” Abruptly, Shadow Mikleo was close enough to Sorey to put a finger against his lips. It silenced him immediately as he stared into those intense, yellow eyes.

“Just listen for a moment, Sorey,” he murmured before taking his finger away. Sorey thought he saw a hint of sadness in his eyes. “In this world, Shadows are reflections of the people brought here. We are the manifestation of their perceptions and the perceptions of the people around them. Mere copies.”

Again, he looked at the Shadow in shock. Not once had Sorey been able to have a conversation with them. Shadow Lailah and Shadow Alisha only wanted to hurt and destroy. Yet, Shadow Mikleo seemed to only want to protect. He was different, somehow. Perhaps this was the best chance Sorey would get to ask questions.

“This isn’t a life any of us asked for,” the Shadow continued. “The only way we can live is by draining the life from our ‘real’ self, and there’s no way out of this hell for us.”

“But...why? Who’s doing this?”

“I don’t know.” He sighed, almost as frustrated by it as Sorey was. If only it was an easy answer to reach, but at least he’d asked. Still...there was one other question he needed to know.

“Um...kind of a weird question,” Sorey started, a little nervous. The Shadow looked amused, a break in the cold mask that made his heart beat faster. He was too much like Mikleo. “You said you’re a manifestation of the perceptions they and other people have. Does...that mean you have Mikleo’s personality?”

Shadow Mikleo hummed in thought, bringing a hand to cup his chin. The posture was far too familiar and it wasn’t something he’d seen for what felt like forever.

“I suppose you could say that I _am_ Mikleo, but with an exaggeration of certain personality traits,” he eventually answered. “Just as all the other Shadows you’ve encountered are. Their memories, feelings, and personalities...all of it’s roughly the same.”

It was enough of a clue on how to handle the other Shadows, at least. Sorey had no doubts that the kidnapper wasn’t going to stop. If anything, he was sure that whoever was doing all of this would redouble their efforts after this latest setback. For now, though, he had to put those thoughts aside. The most important thing was to deal with Shadow Mikleo and get the real one out of here before it was too late.

But...how? How could he kill someone who looked like his childhood friend?

“Sorey,” the Shadow said, pulling him out of his thoughts. Abruptly, the brunet was being pulled into a hug and he stiffened from shock. Shadow Mikleo wrapped his arms around Sorey’s waist and nestled his head under the brunet’s chin. He couldn’t help a soft blush despite his confusion. “Please, allow me to be selfish for a moment.”

After a moment of hesitation, Sorey returned the hug. He felt the Shadow relax against him, sighing softly. Then, Shadow Mikleo pulled away with a final caress of the brunet’s cheek. There was a look of tenderness on his face that Sorey hadn’t seen before. The Shadow cupped his hands in front of the brunet, like he was trying to catch water in them, and a mirror materialized. It floated innocently above his pale hands.

There was silence between them as it sunk in for the Persona user. He clenched his hands into fists, pain and anguish clear in his expression. The Shadow just waited patiently, yellow eyes fixed on him. Finally, Sorey reached out and touched the mirror. Somehow, it shattered instantly.

The last thing he saw from Shadow Mikleo was a look of relief before dissolving into pure water. A figure took his place, looking vaguely feminine, but she disappeared into Mikleo before he could get a good look at her. ‘Morgan’ flitted through his mind, and he had no doubts that his best friend was now a Persona user, too.

He rushed towards Mikleo and carefully picked him up. The frost had melted away, but he was still so terrifyingly cold. Sorey ran out to meet the others.

~*

After leaving the maze, the hole disappeared and left the window looking like it was never an entrance to the mirror world. The moment they entered the real world, Mikleo’s breathing got better and he slowly seemed to be warming up. It was a good thing, too, as they weren’t sure how they would’ve explained his condition to the doctors at the hospital otherwise. Sorey took him home after exchanging brief parting words.

The second he got back to their apartment, he wrapped Mikleo in a few layers of blankets and made some hot water for when he regained consciousness. Sorey held him tightly, hoping to add his own body heat to get his friend back to a normal temperature, even if he was getting a little uncomfortable from the heat. He didn’t know how long it took, but when Mikleo’s eyes fluttered open, he felt himself relax for the first time since this whole mess started.

“Sorey…?”

“I’m here. We brought you home.”

It all seemed to rush back to Mikleo at once. He struggled from his cocoon of blankets with Sorey’s help. The older of the two was still shaking from the cold, but the way lavender eyes looked over him let him know that he was going to get it. Mikleo took in the disheveled appearance, the bags under his eyes, and the way his hands immediately felt up his sides told him that Sorey also hadn’t been eating much. He’d lost a bit of weight the past week because of it.

“How long?” Mikleo demanded, the concern for Sorey making him sound angry.

“Uh...a week…?”

He ran a hand down his face at the brunet’s answer. Mikleo tried to sit up on his own, but collapsed back onto Sorey’s chest. His time in the mirror world had completely drained him of energy, which wasn’t terribly surprising. He’d be recovering from it for days, all things considered.

At least Mikleo was back home. That was all Sorey cared about as he hugged his friend tightly. The gesture seemed to give him some pause before sighing softly.

“You’re staying home, too,” Mikleo said, his tone leaving no room for argument despite the hint of exhaustion. “ _And_ you’re eating something tonight. I don’t care if it’s delivery, but it better be _something_.”

“Okay,” Sorey replied, though he didn’t move from his spot. His friend sighed in mild exasperation before pulling out his phone, which miraculously still had a charge. He gave the brunet the phone, frowning at him as he put in an order for a pizza. When Sorey was done, Mikleo placed it carefully on the coffee table before digging himself back into a blanket cocoon, shivering.

Once his friend was comfortable, lavender eyes looked at him carefully and with almost a touch of shyness. Finally, he brought his arms out from under the blankets and gestured at Sorey. That was all he needed to lay on him with his back to Mikleo’s chest, head resting under his chin. Slender arms went around his rib cage, his grip secure. The two of them stayed that way, a relaxed and companionable silence falling over them, until the delivery man dropped by. Mikleo released his grip and slapped Sorey’s shoulder gently to get off to get their dinner.

After eating, though it wasn’t a whole lot, Sorey fell asleep in Mikleo’s arms that night on the couch. It was by far the best sleep he ever had in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those wondering, here are the Arcana I want to list for our heroes.
> 
> Sorey: The Fool  
> Lailah: The Temperance  
> Alisha: The Empress  
> Mikleo: The Strength


End file.
